As police attempted to move Udayan Guha from the Dinhata Police Station to the town’s Sub-Divisional Hospital for a mandatory medical examination, protesters raised slogans of “Chor, Chor, Chor”, “ Bichar Chai” and “Jai Shri Ram”.
Photo: X, Facebook
Former North Bengal Development Department minister Udayan Guha was remanded to seven days’ police custody on Thursday by the Dinhata Sub-Divisional Court in West Bengal’s Coochbehar in connection with an alleged extortion and cheating case registered at Dinhata Police Station.
The Cooch Behar Police had sought 14 days’ police custody after producing Guha before the court.
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Guha was arrested from Kolkata on Wednesday and brought to Dinhata on Thursday morning. He was initially taken to Dinhata Police Station.
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When questioned by reporters upon his arrival at the Dinhata Police Station, Guha said, “I do not even know why I have been arrested. I will comment after I come to know.”
Meanwhile celebrations broke out at Dinhata as news of his arrest broke out. On Thursday, hundreds including those claiming to be victims of political intimidation, extortion and coercion during the former minister’s tenure, assembled outside the police station, along the route to the hospital and later near the court complex.
As police attempted to move Guha from the Dinhata Police Station to the town’s Sub-Divisional Hospital for a mandatory medical examination, protesters raised slogans of “Chor, Chor, Chor”, “ Bichar Chai” and “Jai Shri Ram”.
The crowd expressed its anger by hurling rotten eggs, potatoes, tomatoes, mangoes, footwear, brooms and mud collected from roadside drains towards the prison van transporting the former minister.
Police personnel, assisted by the Central Armed Police Force personnel, formed multiple security cordons to clear the route. However, they faced considerable difficulty in controlling the crowd as protesters repeatedly surged towards the convoy.
Anticipating possible attacks, security personnel reportedly made Guha wear a protective helmet before moving him out of the police station.
Despite heavy security arrangements, the prison van was struck repeatedly by objects hurled by protesters. Visuals from the spot showed that vehicle’s windshield and body splattered with rotten vegetables, eggs and mud.
Similar scenes unfolded at the Dinhata Sub-Divisional Hospital as protesters gathered outside the premises and continued shouting slogans against the former minister. Following the medical examination, Guha was again escorted under tight security to the Dinhata Sub-Divisional Court.
The route from the hospital to the court witnessed another round of protests as demonstrators again targeted the prison van with rotten eggs, vegetables, footwear and mud. Some even threw stones towards the convoy, reports suggest.
Court proceedings were completed amid extensive security arrangements. Soon after the court gave its order, the former minister was escorted out of the court complex. As Guha was being taken back to the Dinhata Police Station, the prison van was targeted once again.
Although Guha was not physically injured, the dramatic scenes reflected the intensity of public anger surrounding the case.
According to police sources, the case originated from a complaint lodged by Rupam Saha, who alleged large-scale extortion, criminal breach of trust, cheating and criminal conspiracy involving Guha and 13 others. The case was endorsed for investigation to police officer Jigmee Sonam Wangchuk Bhutia on 12 June.
Police registered the case under Sections 406, 420, 384 and 120B of the Indian Penal Code against a total of 14 accused persons, with Guha named as the principal accused.
In his complaint, Saha claimed that following the 2021 Assembly election, an organisation named Shishu Mangal Samiti was formed under Guha’s leadership and operated from Subhas Bhavan in Dinhata.
The complainant alleged that despite lacking any legal or statutory status, the organisation collected money from businessmen, individuals and various organisations through coercive means. Receipts were allegedly issued in some cases, while money was collected without documentation in others.
The complaint also refers to collections allegedly made in connection with the proposed Paediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) at Dinhata Hospital and other activities.
Police sources said the investigation is ongoing and that custodial interrogation is expected to focus on the financial transactions, collection of funds and the roles of the other accused persons named in the FIR.
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